Dozens of swimmers dove into the cold water at Compo Beach on New Year’s Day, all in support of Abilis, a Fairfield County nonprofit that serves and supports more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families.

Funds raised at the Polar Bear Plunge, billed as “freezin’ for a reason,” will go to a renovation of Abilis Gardens & Gifts, a retail and employee training site that is also a working gift and flower shop. It is part of Abilis’s Competitive Employment Program and provides job training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Scenes from the plunge …